A123 Systems to Supply Plug-In Hybrid Batteries

Fisker Automotive, the startup that’s supposed to start delivering luxury plug-in hybrids later this year, has changed its battery supplier again. Now it’s going with A123 Systems, it announced today.

A123, which makes nanostructured lithium iron phosphate batteries that are safer and longer lasting than conventional lithium ion batteries, recently got a lot of money from a high-profile IPO. It’s also pulled in money from the feds to build battery factories. But it’s recently had bad news, too. It lost out to LG Chem for supplying batteries for the Chevrolet Volt (also due out this year). And then, after it announced an agreement to supply batteries for Chrysler, that automaker scaled back its plans for electric vehicles and plug in hybrids (cars that run mostly on electricity but have a gasoline engine for long trips). A123 also recently reported declining sales of batteries to the market it started with–cordless power tools.

Fisker had previously announced two other potential battery suppliers: Advanced Lithium Power, based in Vancouver, BC, and Enerdel, based in Indianapolis.